Australian Infrastructure Sector News for December 2018

Sydney Metro confirms new $1.4 billion railworks contract

The lucrative contract has been awarded to subsidiaries of CIMIC, UGL and CPB Contractors. The contract covers infrastructure works, tunnelling and train stabling for the line that will eventually run from Chatswood to Sydenham.

The winning bidder was chosen in March from a short-list, which also included joint bids from Laing O’Rourke and John Holland and Downer EDI and RCR O’Donnell.

These railworks are part of the second phase of the Sydney Metro programme, which is due to be completed in 2019. This stage will extend the city’s new metro line from Chatstown to Bankstown, and work entails greenfield construction in and around the CBD, as well as converting existing lines into metro tracks. Construction on a double tunnel stretching 15.5km from Chatswood to Sydenham is already underway, and Sydney Metro has confirmed that the tunnels will be developed into a working railway line.

The new contract, which has been branded ‘the Metro line-wide works,’ includes 31km of underground track to be located within the twin tunnels, 31km of overhead electrical equipment and 11 new power substations. More than 350km of high and low voltage cabling will be laid, and the tracks that run to Chatswood, at the end of the line, will be connected to new lines in the city. Rouse Hill will be extended to cater for 37 new trains and a new facility will be built at Marrickville.

This contract is the latest in a raft of deals signed off by Sydney Metro, but there is still work to do, with more rail contracts to be announced in the coming months.

Sydney Metro is hopeful of an opening date in early 2019 for the Sydney Metro North West phase, while the City and Southwest network is expected to be ready by 2024. Read the full story

Billion dollar Hummock Island development gets the green light

Plans for a multi-billion dollar development on the remote Queensland island of Hummock Island have been given the green light.

The project, which has been in the pipeline for several years, had previously been rejected by the local council, but the Queensland Government intervened, and the plans will now go ahead.

Eaton Place will invest around $1.2 billion building up to 2,500 homes on the island. This will include 770 permanent residential buildings.

Cameron Dick, state development and planning minister, said that this was the first time the state government had exercised its powers to overturn a decision in four years. Mr Dick said that it was an uncommon scenario, but branded the project “exceptional” and explained that the state government had liaised with Gladstone Council to address their concerns.

Despite Mr Dick’s assurances, mayor of Gladstone, Matt Burnett, accused the government of ignoring many of the major stumbling blocks.

Mr Dick stated that Eaton Place would have to fund services on the island for 17 years, and that building should commence by 2020. The developer now has to pitch to finance the project, a task director, Peter Scarf, is confident he can accomplish. Read the full story